CIT eA-project (Creating Innovative Technology enhanced Assessment Project) Russell Taylor Computing & Interactive Media Lecturer / Technology Enhanced Learning Specialist Borders College

Background  Jisc-funded CIT eA-project led by City of Glasgow College  part of the Colleges’ e-Assessment Group (CEAG),  CEAG includes the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the College Development Network, Education Scotland, the Student Participation in Quality Scotland (sparqs), and Jisc RSC Scotland (as was)  Borders College, as part of CEAG was asked to collaborate, having completed an earlier Jisc-funded e-learning project  Borders Online Transformation project (BOLT) – completed December 2014  This new project focusses on the new Higher National Diploma for Business  Project duration: September 2014 to June 2015

Aims & Objectives  Identify barriers to adoption  Create a series of processes to improve uptake of existing e- assessment options  Drive future development of new e-assessment options  Create a replicable, scalable, sustainable, framework for e- assessment implementation in further education (which may be applicable in other sub-sectors)  This framework will support institutions to identify and overcome barriers now and in the future.

Aims & Objectives  A toolkit of resources  which will encourage the use of technology in the assessment process.  Enhancing the learning and assessment experience  Improve learner engagement  Promote greater efficiency through flexible and authentic assessment

History  The BOLT project was an 18-month long project to embed e- learning methods into an FE college  led to the establishment of a permanent multi-disciplinary e- Learning Team (now Technology Enhanced Learning Unit - TELU) comprising Learning Technologists, Lecturers, Web Designers and a Software Developer  The BOLT project’s aim was to implement a major shift in learning culture towards innovative digital methods  Built on an earlier ‘Blended Learning’ project  The TELU support lecturing staff in the delivery of new e- learning and e-assessment activities

Learning Systems at Borders  The Moodle VLE system has been in place since 2003 and v2.7 is currently used to deliver course content for the vast majority of courses  This use is variable (but becoming less so) and not all lecturing staff use the more advanced functions regularly  The Mahara e-Portfolio system is also used extensively and the expertise in this system has grown rapidly amongst both lecturing staff and students  Moodle-linked ‘Turnitin’ assessments had been used in the past for essay-based work but college policy recently changed to mandate its use for all summative written work

Borders College’s Contribution  HND Business – recently introduced  Replaces the BC delivered / Heriot Watt accredited, BSc Business programme  Provides direct articulation into 3 rd year H/W Business degree at Edinburgh’s Riccarton Campus (2+2 model)  4 HND Units selected for Borders components:  Human Resource Management Practice  Developing Entrepreneurial Skills  Combined Unit – Behavioural Skills for Business & Business Culture and Strategy

Assessment Method  Previously….  Paper-based document production  Laborious  Error-prone evaluation  Error-prone document management (version control)

E-Assessment  A variety of methods used including:  Online tests using Moodle quizzes – multiple choice and extended response questions  Turnitin for all discrete written work using Originality Reporting and Gradebook functions  Mahara for multiple-document portfolio elements, such as:  HRMP: Staff Handbook  Developing Entrepreneurial Skills: New Business Start-up Portfolio e.g. Business Plan, Marketing Analysis, Recruitment Strategy, etc.

Issues & Feedback  Culture change for lecturers as great as it is for students  Some e-assessment may be more time consuming to mark than paper-based methods  Lack of learning analytics (tracking tools particularly)  Profound in Mahara  Less so in Moodle  Students like a variety of assessment methods – including paper!  Separation of technology for ‘fun’ versus ‘work’

Future Developments  Feed into the CIT eA-project until June 2015  Working with SQA on new e-assessment programme over 2015/16  Evaluate local development of Mahara  or join consortium led by City of Glasgow College  Continue to feed into FE’s Machara Group  Feed into Moodle developments through FE’s Moodle User Group  Continue to roll-our e-assessment where appropriate